Mom turns school lunch dilemma into business with Red Apple

Tuesday

One peanut butter sandwich, one apple, one bag of chips, and one carton of milk.

For many students, that is the spread that perpetually fills their lunchbox, with little variation. Maybe, if they get an A on the math test, they’ll be treated to a slice of cold pizza on Friday.

One local parent is hoping to shake up that monotonous routine as she launches her new student lunch business in Cambridge and Arlington.

Lisa Farrell is the creator of Red Apple Lunch, a service that sources, prepares, and delivers healthy school lunches to save parents time in their already busy schedules.

As a working mom in New York, Farrell said she always made time to bake or create something special for her sons’ lunches.

“Every other mom I knew hated making lunch, but I love it,” she said.

After moving to Lexington, Farrell was looking for the next way she could make an impact. She always had an interest in food, and understood the time constraints faced by most families.

Farrell said she was attracted to a quandary familiar to many parents.

“There is this whole idea around kids and food and that having healthy food is so important to them. But it’s not easy to get healthy options, especially having parents invested in their careers and family. It’s hard to make it all meet,” she said.

One of Farrell’s highest priorities is providing healthy food to her customers.

The organic produce comes from regional producers, breads from local bakeries, and nitrate-free turkey is roasted in-house.

Each lunch begins with some type of sandwich, hummus dip, or meat and cheese snack skewer. Ingredients vary depending on season, and Farrell said the menu will rotate based on what is freshest at local farmers markets.

“One of the biggest struggles is how I provide a healthy variety for children, because they can get burnt out easily,” Farrell said.

To complete the meal, customers will be able to choose a fruit, veggie, and treat. Farrell said one of the favorites is sure to be the fruit smoothie option.

Prices for each lunch start at $7.50, and the food is available for delivery Tuesday through Thursday. The meal is delivered the night before the desired serving, and parents choose how many days they want lunch delivered.

Farrell did a trial period of lunch deliveries in Arlington and Cambridge in November and was met with positive feedback from adults and children alike.

“They loved the fact that they were being heard,” Farrell said of the trial customers. “Based on their feedback, we’ll have a fresh menu every few weeks.”

Apart from delivering to local families, Farrell aimed to find a way to give back to the urban communities experiencing hunger.

For every meal purchased from Red Apple Lunch, Farrell will be donating a snack pack to a child in need. The partnership with the Greater Boston Food Bank is aimed at fighting urban hunger, Farrell said.

“Generally, we also have a fair amount of food insecurity issues,” Farrell said of the Boston-area. “I wanted to marry these issues together and chop away at it, while being a service.”

Red Apple Lunch is open for business in Arlington and Cambridge, and Farrell hopes to expand further for next school year.

“This couldn’t have been a more perfect area to test this out, there are many creative, dual-income folks,” she said about Arlington and Cambridge.

As owner, chef, and delivery driver, Farrell has plenty on her plate, much like the parents she plans on serving. Her goal is to be a service to those parents who struggle to find time to prepare lunch.

“It takes a village, there is only so much time in the day,” she said.